Special Features

3. Math

For years, dudes into math have thought chicks were allergic to them, when this whole time, as it turns out, girls just aren’t into math. This could be because, as one Time magazine story suggests, the classically held stereotype that women simply don’t perform as well as men in the subject. And though this has been proven false, many parents and teachers remain convinced it’s true.

As a result, very few women wind up pursuing math-related academic careers (aside from rarities like Danica McKellar). Time also reported that 27% of math doctorates in 2009 were earned by women but that they occupied as few as 9% of tenure-track positions in math-heavy fields. Well, maybe women really don’t want to spend all their time around dudes who are into math after all.